Improvement in piano-fortes



J. R. LUMAS.

Pianoforte.

Patented Nov. 19, 1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN l1. LOMAS, OF NET HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOE TO B. SHONINGEE, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PlANO-FORTES.

Specification lbrming part of Letters Patent No. 210,04 3, dated November 19, 1878; application filed May T25, i878.

To all whom it may concern,

Be it known that i, JOHN It. LOMAS, of New Haven, in the county of New llavcn and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in iiano-rictions; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken iu connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, 'in- Figure l, side view of the action; Fig. 2, portion ofthe action-frame.

This invention relates to an improvement in piano-actions speoiall y designed for upright pianos, but parts of it applicable to pianos generally; andthe invention consists in the details of construction, as hereinafter described, and more iarticularly recited in the claims.

First, a sott pedal. As heretofore made the soft pedal has been applied in several ways, among others one by throwing the hammers nearer the string, so that the action ofthe key docs not come so soon upon it, and thereby lessons the blow of the hammer; but this arrangement necessarily changes the 'position of the hammer, and the whole action is there by more or less disarranged. The touch of the keys is also materially affected, because they do not begin to act or meet the resistance of the hammer until they are nearly down.

In the second class, a piece of felt is introduced between the hanimer and the wire; but this mode of softening changes the quality of the tone.

To overcome these dilliculties is the object ot' the first part ofthe invention.

A represents the soundingboard, upon which the wires (t are arranged in the usual manner, E, the hammer, which is operated by the action ofthe key, through the lever O, in substantiallyr the usual manner, i), the rest, upon which the hammers fall after action.

Between the hammers and the wires a shaft, E, is longitudinallyT arranged, carrying a felt cushion, F. A rocking movementisimparted to this shaft from the pedal acting upon a lever, E, attached to said shaft. As represented in Fig. 1, the hammer is free to strike the wire with the full force to soften the tone. The pedal is depressed in the usual manner, which turns the cushion F 11p, as indicated in broken lines, so that the arm of the hammer will strike the cushion E before the hammer` quite reaches the wire. The force ofthe blow will cause the handle to sink into the cushion E until the hammer strikes the wire. The force of the blow is therefore lessened by so much of the power as is required to impress the cushion, and this may be varied accor ding as the cushion is turned to a greater or less extent toward the handle of the hammer. Thus the full and usual force may be given to the keys and the tone softened without in any way changing the position ofthe parts of the action or affecting the quality of the tone of the instrument.

The second part of this invention relates to an improvement in the action-frame, and particularly to the rods M N l), which support the action. These rods run across the inst-rument, and the parts are attached thereto by screws. These being so many in number and so near together are liable to split the rods, and thus disarrange the mechanism. To avoid this diiiiculty the rods are iirst covered with a fabricated net-work, woven or braided thereon in like manner as the covering of whips is applied to the stocks, and as seen in Fig. 3. This covering is then iilled with glue to cause it to adhere rigidly to the rods, and then covered with varnish to prevent the ill effects ot' the atmosphere thereon. This covering so thoroughly binds the rods that they cannot be split, and renders the frame more durable and strong, and enabling the rods to be made very much lighter than can be done without the covering.

l claim@ l. ln combination with the hammer and wires of a piano, the soft-pedal shaft carrying a felt cushion, arranged between the arm ot' the hammer and the wires, substantially as described.

2. The supporting-rods of a piano-action inA closed within a fabricated net-work, substantially as described.

JOHN R. LOMAS.

XVitnesses:

J. H. Snuirwar, H. A. Krrsow. 

